After the Challenger (STS-51L) exploded 73 seconds after liftoff a massive rescue and recovery effort was started involving a flotilla of 28 US Navy, US Coast Guard and civilian vessels. While there were no survivors, a significant amount of debris was found including what was left of the vital Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB). This recovery effort eventually led to the discovery of the problem with the SRBs and to a major redesign. This page lists the 28 ships that were involved in the recovery effort with brief information on each ship. Covers are known from all 28 ships. The next page contains two tables. The first lists covers that document the major events that occurred during the recovery, while the second lists all known covers. However, it should be noted, that in some cases, covers are known with a number of different dates and sometimes different postmark places.
Update (10 December 2011)
Further research has identified extra ships that were involved in the recovery effort. Ships can be broadly listed as being involved in the deep water salvage operations, the surface and shallow water salvage effort and auxillary vessels. The Rogers' Commission Report Volume III, Appendix O lists the ships officially involved in the deep water salvage operations (see separate table for a summary of these ships). The Eliminator and Pelican Princess were auxillary vessels while most of the rest were involved in the surface and shallow water salvage effort (this includes the US Coast Guard Cutters).
Summary of Recovery Force Ships
| Ship | Type | Designation | Comments |
|
USS Aubrey Fitch |
Guided Missile Frigate |
FFG-34 |
None |
|
USCGC Bear |
USCG Medium Endurance Cutter |
WMEC-901 |
None |
| Big Foot | Commercial Scallop Boat | None | Used in April after storms stirred up the sea bed |
|
USCGC Cherokee |
USCG Auxiliary Tug |
WMEC-165 |
None |
|
USCGC Dallas |
USCG High Endurance Cutter |
WHEC-716 |
None |
|
USCGC Dauntless |
USCG Medium Endurance Cutter |
WMEC-624 |
None |
|
USS Guam |
US Navy Amphibious Assault Ship |
LPH-9 |
None |
|
USCGC Harriet Lane |
USCG Medium Endurance Cutter |
WMEC-903 |
None |
|
Johnson Sea-Link 1 |
Civilian Submersible - Mother ship was the Edwin Link |
N/A |
Extremely Rare |
|
Johnson Sea-Link 2 |
Civilian Submersible - Mother ship was the Seward Johnson |
N/A |
A number of different dates and dive numbers are known - Rare cover |
|
USS Kittiwake |
US Navy Submarine Rescue Ship |
ASR-13 |
Unusual Cover - Very hard to find |
|
USS Koelsch |
US Navy Destroyer Escort |
FF-1049 |
Several Dates are known |
| LCU | Salvage Vessel | U/K | Discovered the first piece of the Crew Compartment. No covers are known. |
|
NR-1 |
US Navy Ocean Engineering and Research Submarine |
NR-1 |
Several dates are known - Very Rare Cover |
|
R/V Paul Langevin III |
Civilian Ocean Research Vessel |
N/A |
None |
|
USS Opportune |
US Navy Rescue & Salvage Ship |
ARS-41 |
None |
|
R/V G.W. Pierce |
Civilian Ocean Research Vessel |
N/A |
None |
|
USCGC Point Roberts |
USCG Patrol Boat |
WPR-82332 |
None |
|
USS Preserver |
US Navy Rescue & Salvage Ship |
ARS-8 |
None |
|
Range Salvage Boat |
USAF LCU |
U/K |
None |
|
USNS Range Sentinel |
US Navy Missile Range Instrumentation Ship |
T-AGM-22 |
Several different postmarks are known |
|
USNS Redstone |
US Navy Missile Range Instrumentation Ship |
T-AGM-20 |
Several different postmarks are known |
|
USS Sampson |
US Navy Guided Missile Destroyer |
DDG-10 |
None |
|
USS Semmes |
US Navy Guided Missile Destroyer |
DDG-18 |
None |
|
USS Simpson |
US Navy Guided Missile Frigate |
FFG-56 |
None |
|
USS W. S. Sims4 |
US Navy Frigate (originally Escort Destroyer DE) |
FF-1059 |
No covers are known |
|
MSV Stena Workhorse |
Civilian Salvage Vessel |
N/A |
None |
|
USS Sunbird |
US Navy Submarine Rescue Ship |
ASR-15 |
With USN SR-1 Aboard |
|
USCGC Sweetgum |
USCG Seagoing Buoy Tender |
WLB-309 |
Several different dates are known |
|
USCGC Tampa |
USCG Medium Endurance Cutter |
WMEC-902 |
None |
|
USS Underwood |
US Navy Guided Missile Frigate |
FFG-36 |
None |
|
UTC Freedom Star |
NASA SRB Recovery Ship |
N/A |
May be Commemorative Only |
|
UTC Liberty Star |
NASA SRB Recovery Ship |
N/A |
May be Commemorative Only |
|
UTC Independence |
NASA SRB Recovery Ship with the Deep Drone submersible |
N/A |
May be Commemorative Only |
|
Eliminator |
Civilian Support Craft |
N/A |
Support Craft for Personnel and Cargo X-fer |
|
Pelican Princess |
Civilian Support Craft |
N/A |
Support Craft for Personnel and Cargo X-fer |
|
Possible Involvement |
|||
|
USCGC Point Charles |
USCG Patrol Boat |
WPR-82361 |
Not mentioned in any report. Only one cover seen. |
Notes:
1) Covers from the NR-1 and Johnson Sea-Link 2 are rare and quite valuable.
2) The USS Kittwake cover is unusual and rarely mentioned. It's rarity is unknown.
3) Most covers from this mission are rarer than for the Gemini & Apollo missions are generally bring high values.
4) Correspondence from former crew member Radioman Senior Chief Petty Officer Bob Watts, now retired, plus USS W. S. Sims history webpages. One cover has now been found.
References:
Private Collection of Dr Ross J Smith
Rogers' Commission Report Volume III, Appendix O
Astrophile Nov 86 by Robert Marinaro
Private Correspondence with Sam Stein
Private Correspondence with Jack Treutle
Private Correspondence with Tom Steiner
This page © Dr Ross J Smith
This page is maintained by the Webmaster
Last modified on 23 August 2021
Return